Star Trek: TNG Indstinguishable From Magic (7 page)

He decided to take breakfast in the
Enterprise
’s mess, rather than have a replicated dish in his quarters. Ordinarily the mess was used for diplomatic functions, but there were always a few people who preferred to have their food prepared by a chef. He was finishing off his coffee when he heard,
“Commander La Forge, please report to my ready room.”

He hurried up to the bridge immediately, and over to the ready room. Picard was behind his desk, but looked up as soon as La Forge entered. “Geordi,” Picard began, “we’ve had a response from Starfleet about the matter of the
Intrepid.”
La Forge noticed that Picard was keeping a stern expression on his face more so than usual, and wondered whether this was a good or bad sign. There was certainly a tension in the air, and a slight hesitancy. “Starfleet is sending a specialist ship, the
Challenger,
to take over investigation
of the derelict. They feel that it warrants a long-term study.”

“Sounds like the right approach.”

“A medical forensics team on board will remove the biological remains of the crew for repatriation back to Earth, while the engineering specialists attempt to reactivate
Intrepid
’s systems and determine what happened to her.”

Geordi nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly what I’d recommended, Captain.”

Picard hesitated. “They have also . . . requested”—there was that tension again, giving lie to the “request” part—“that you be transferred to the
Challenger
on an extended attachment to the team being assembled to investigate
Intrepid.”

La Forge felt a sudden chill. “Transferred? Off the
Enterprise?”

“Temporarily attached to the
Challenger,”
Picard emphasized. “I’m sorry, perhaps that was a poor choice of words on my part. Starfleet believes that you have valuable skills and experience that will make you uniquely qualified for this mission. Aside from being the
Enterprise
’s chief engineer of many years’ standing, you have experience with the technology of other eras. You even had a hand in Earth’s very first warp vessel, the
Phoenix.”

Geordi spread his hands in an appeal. “I know I’ve seen and done some things, but being chief engineer on the
Enterprise
is where I always wanted to be. It’s taken me years—”

“And Starfleet appreciates that, but Command also wants the best person for the job on
Intrepid.”
Picard’s expression lightened, a twinkle appearing in his eye. “And, to be fair, I read in your report that it was you yourself who insisted that such a mission be formed.”

“That’s true enough, but—”

“Geordi,” Picard said, dropping the mask entirely, “let
me ask you one question. Would you be happy never setting foot on
Intrepid
again?”

Geordi took a deep breath, remembering the conversation he and Picard had had aboard
Intrepid
. He knew Picard remembered it too. “No. No, I’d love to be able to take her apart and put her back together again. Feel the decking vibrate when her warp core comes on line . . .”

“So would I,” Picard said softly, “but I’m not being offered the opportunity.” His tone and expression lightened. “There’s one other point I ought to mention. The request for you to join the team was made by an old friend of yours, Montgomery Scott.”

“Scotty?!” That was better news. It had been a while since Geordi had seen the legendary miracle worker.

“Challenger
is Mister Scott’s pet project, a starship retrofitted as an engineering test-bed. It seems that he’s been following your career and he’d like to involve you in the
Challenger
’s mission.” Geordi didn’t reply, because he didn’t need to. He knew the captain could read his conflict. He wanted to breathe
Intrepid
’s air, but didn’t want to leave
Enterprise
to her own devices. She was, after all, the one lady he could rely on to always be there for him. “Geordi, I won’t order you to go, but I would say, as your friend, that if you don’t, you will probably beat yourself over the head with it for the rest of your life.”

“‘Beat yourself over the head’? The captain actually said that?” Worf sounded as much surprised as amused. He was sitting next to Geordi at the bartop to one side of the Riding Club, with a range of drinks and snacks in front of them.

“Yes,” Geordi confirmed.

“Impressive. I do not believe the captain has ever used such terminology with me.” Worf moved some of
his snack onto a smaller saucer. Some of it tried to squirm back off.

“What are you doing?”

“A warrior shares his rations.” Geordi was momentarily baffled, then the realization made him grin. “You mean Spot.”

“The sharing of a kill is an important ritual,” Worf said solemnly. “But you did not sit here to discuss Spot. I can see the indecision in your face, and hear it in your voice.”

“I dunno, Worf. It’s . . . I mean, it’ll be great to see Scotty again, and the
Challenger
is doing some great work, but the
Enterprise
is home.”

“Home is merely where you live.”

“Well, that’s true, but—”

“Geordi,” Worf said, with surprising gentleness, “I understand how it can be difficult to leave a posting, even for a period of detached duty. But, in my experience, it simply means that the return to duty on the
Enterprise
is so much—”

“Sweeter? You mean a change is as good as a rest?”

Worf nodded. “Exactly. If you want to look at it from the view of duty, it is your duty to do what is best for Starfleet. And Starfleet thinks you are best used elsewhere. They are honoring you and your skills.”

“I can’t say I feel particularly honored.”

Worf dipped his head slightly. “If Deanna were here, I believe she would ask, ‘What you do feel?’ ”

“What do I feel? I’m not sure, actually. It’s not as if the
Enterprise
’s current mission is either exciting or taxing. And I would like to, frankly, take
Intrepid
apart and put her back together in working order.”

“Even though she is not a new creation?”

“That’s kind of the point. I grew up making models of the old NX- and
Constitution-
class ships, and studying
the progress of how warp drives have been developed from those old designs to the drives of today . . .”

“It sounds to me as if you are looking for a reason
not
to appear to have the desire to investigate the
Intrepid.”

“Really, Counselor Worf? And why might that be?”

Worf grunted, and poured some more prune juice. “Because you do not want people to think that you are bored with our mission, or with your position on the
Enterprise.”

“I’m not bored—”

“I know. So what is stopping you?”

“You think I should go.”

“Captain Picard is an excellent judge of character. You would have regrets if you did not take the opportunity to study the
Intrepid
. Even if you do not have a . . . companion, with whom to share your discoveries.”

“I guess I
have
been kind of moping a little about Tamala . . .”

“Yes. Most unbecoming.”

“Intrepid
has been taking my mind off that.”

“Good.”

“And Taurik can keep the engines ticking while I’m away . . .”

“He’d better, or he will answer to me.”

“I’d better let Captain Picard know that I’ll be going, and get the transfer arrangements made.”

Worf looked along the length of the Riding Club and nodded in the direction of the doors. “You can tell him now.” La Forge turned, to see Picard looking in their direction. As soon as he saw them, the captain strode over.

“Captain,” La Forge began, “if you’ve been looking for me—”

“Actually, I was looking for Beverly. We’d agreed to share lunch, but I seem to be a few minutes early.”

“Well, it’s handy that we bumped into each other. I’ve been thinking about the
Challenger
’s mission, and I’ve decided to agree to Starfleet’s—and Scotty’s—request.”

Picard’s face lit up. “Excellent.”

“The
Challenger
will be stopping at Starbase 410 en route to our position,” Worf said, suddenly all business again. “We will be passing there on our way to the next survey site.”

“Good thinking, Worf,” Picard said with a nod. “I’ll notify Starfleet that we’ll drop you off there to rendezvous with the
Challenger.”

“That sounds like the best way of doing things,” La Forge agreed. “I’ll brief Taurik for what needs to be done while I’m away.”

La Forge sat at a sidewalk café looking up at the vast expanse of the planet Wexx. A storm was heading toward one of the southern islands, and it looked so much like one of the whorls on the surface of his
raktajino
that he almost had to pinch himself.
Challenger
had been delayed, and so he had found himself with forty-eight hours to kill on Starbase 410.

Every starbase was different, and Geordi had seen plenty of them during his years in Starfleet. Some were purpose-built space stations, often modeled on Earth’s old Spacedock. Others were hollowed-out asteroids, stations leased from local governments, or even ground-based complexes on planets.

Starbase 410 was a small moon of Wexx, connected to the planet by an orbital tether and elevator. Unlike most starbases, the facility was actually leased from the Klingons, as up until a few decades ago the planet had been within the
Klingon Empire’s border. To honor its heritage, the place was administrated by a Klingon matriarch, QiQ’as, who took a daily tour of the facilities, to make sure that things were running as efficiently as befitted a Klingon facility.

The café was near the tether terminal down to the planet, but from a point of view on the moon’s surface, the planet was above. Geordi had found, almost as soon as he arrived, that this position gave a good view of ships passing between the starbase and the planet.

As he watched now, a
Vesta
-class ship, all stretched lines and an eyeful of speed, swooped around the planet. He knew that it wasn’t the
Aventine,
but at this distance he couldn’t see the name on her hull. She wasn’t the double E, but she was a beauty nonetheless.

“That she is, Geordi.” The voice was warm and soft; it sounded the way caramel would if it was sound instead of a texture and flavor. It was immediately familiar.

“Guinan?” He leapt to his feet, spinning around. The woman behind him had a wide-cheeked Cheshire cat smile, and eyes so filled with a passion for life that they almost knocked him back down into his chair. Her hair was hidden by a hat that was rather more saucer-shaped than the primary hull of that
Vesta-
class.

“Hello, Geordi. Fancy meeting you here.”

“This is great! Hey, sit down and have a—Oh, unless this is your place now?”

“No, this isn’t my café. But I do know the Nausicaan who runs it.”

“A Nausicaan runs this café?” Geordi had only noticed humans and a couple of Bajorans and Bolians among the staff. He looked around at the clean chromed décor and art. “It doesn’t look like a Nausicaan’s idea of a drinking establishment.”

“He’s good people. Besides, Q’Hap won’t tolerate trouble on her station.”

“You know her too?”

“She’s good people. I like to know good people.” Guinan sat, and ordered an iced tea. “I wasn’t sure it was you, just from the back of your head, but when you were admiring that ship . . .”

La Forge’s eyes narrowed. “That reminds me, how did you know I was thinking she was a beauty?”

“Because you didn’t just think it. And the
Vesta
herself is a beauty, obviously.”

“Oh . . .” He hadn’t even realized he had spoken out loud when he had seen the ship. “Sorry.” At least he now knew which ship it was.

“You’re sorry for admiring a ship?”

“For looking like a loon, talking to myself.”

“It would have been obvious anyway; it was written on your face.”

“That obvious, huh?”

Guinan nodded. “Capital letters, three meters high. In neon.”

“It is a beautiful design.” Geordi laughed. “Anyway, what are you doing at Starbase 410?”

“The same thing you are.”

“Well, I’m waiting—No . . . ?”

She nodded, with that smug, cat-that-got-the-cream smile. “Waiting to join the
Challenger
.”

“You never showed any interest in engineering before.”

“I have a lot of interests. Sometimes I let them lapse, and then sometimes I pick them up again.”

“So, you’re saying you do have, or did have, an interest in engineering?”

“Not really,” she admitted with a grin. “My father was
the one with the predilection for tinkering with electronics. But I do count some engineers among my friends, and maybe it’s time to give them some of my time.” Geordi could feel his ears start to burn slightly.

“Besides,” she went on, “how was I supposed to resist the opportunity to spend some time on a
Galaxy
-class ship again?”

Geordi froze in mid-reply. “
Challenger
’s
Galaxy
-class?”

“Didn’t you know?”

“There are so many ships . . .”

“I know, it’s hard to keep track of them. I’m glad I don’t have to.”

“But you want to spend some time on one.”

“With some friends. And, this may sound a little weird, but it’s the closest thing I have to something that really feels like a home. In this part of the galaxy, anyway.”

“No,” Geordi said firmly, “that doesn’t sound weird at all.”

“I imagine you have pretty much the same feeling about it.”

Geordi wasn’t sure whether he would or not. “I’m pretty used to the
Enterprise-
E now.” He looked at her, feeling a little guilty about using his cybernetic eyes to read her skin galvanity and temperature. He told himself he was just trying to judge whether she was being serious, not whether she was telling the truth.

He stopped looking. It didn’t matter why she was going on the
Challenger,
just that there would be another familiar face on the mission. That it was a familiar face which also had a sympathetic ear on either side was oddly reassuring. Geordi raised his
raktajino
in a toast. “Well, here’s to
Challenger,
and her mission.”